Refrigerating process and apparatus



Sept. 10, 1935.

C. W. M COY I REFRIGERATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1930 vqllllllllllllllllllll Patented Sept. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES REFRIGERATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Charles W. McCoy, Spokane, Wash.

Application May 2, 1930, Serial No. 449,101

. 9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in refrigerating process and apparatus and has for its object to provide a new and improved process and apparatus of this description.

The invention has as a further object to provide a refrigerating process and apparatus particularly adapted to be used on vehicles.

The invention has as a further object to provide a refrigerating process and apparatus effectively and cheaply using solid carbon dioxide commercially known as and hereinafter referred to as dry ice for refrigerating purposes.

The invention has other objects which are more particularly pointed out in the accompanying description.

Referring now to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view showing one form, of the invention as applied to a car. i

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of one of the valves.

Fig. 5 is a view in part section showing the thermostat and valve for controlling the flow of the fluid.

Fig. 6 is a view in part section showing a modifled construction.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures.

In carrying out the invention, I provide at each end of the vehicle a compartment herein shown as the compartments I and 2. Each compartment is provided with a partition 3. These partitions are provided with one or more valves 4 which open in one direction. The compartments are connected together by the pipes 5 and 6. These pipes may be located at any desired point and there may be one or more connected on each side of the partitions 3. These pipes may be connected to the receptacles above the bottom thereof and near the liquid level therein, or at any point desired.

The valves 4 are arranged so that as the car rocks from side to side they will be opened and closed so as to produce a circulation of the refrigerant through such pipes. These pipes and the receptacles are preferably located at the top of the vehicle.

I may, for example, provide the receptacles I and 2 with a liquid refrigerant such as brine, either a sodium chloride or a calcium chloride brine. or any other suitable liquid. When this liquid is used, it is cooled by dry ice.

It will be noted that the partitions 3 divide each compartment into two sections, the compartment I being divided into the sections 1 and 8, and the compartment 2 into the sections 9 and III. The dry ice is preferably placed only in one section, although it might be placed in both sections.

Instead of placing the dry ice in the liquid, I provide a space above the liquid and provide a shelf II above the liquid upon which the dry ice is placed. Some means is preferably provided for partially insulating the dry ice so as to reduce its cooling effect upon the liquid refrigerant. This may be accomplished by placing the ice on a non-metallic shelf, or providing an air space, or by any other means. This dry ice, which is solidified carbon dioxide, does not produce liquid when it sublimes, but a gas, and therefore does not add to the liquid in the compartment. I am, therefore, able to insert this solid cooling dry ice in the receptacles and at the same time main- 0 tain the same quantity of liquid refrigerant in the system so that the level of the liquid refrigerant is not increased by the subliming of the ice. I may, for example, omit theliquid refrigerant and simply use the dry ice. In that case the dry ice in each receptacle will be located only on one side of the partition 3. The receptacles I and 2 are made tight so that when the dry ice sublimes the gas will be confined and the dry ice is so located with relation to the partitions 3 that the pressure of the gas will open the valves and cause a circulation of the gas through the pipes. This circulating gas, being of very low temperature,

will cool the apartment.

If refrigerating liquid is also used, then this 35 pressure will circulate this liquid. It will be seen that by this means there will be a circulation when liquid is used produced by the rocking of the car, and there will be a circulation produced by the pressure of the gas when the car is sta- 0 I tionary so that there will be circulation at all times. By means of this arrangement the vehiclescan be stocked with dry ice at its starting point and this ice will last long enough so that it can run clear through to its destination without being restocked. This, therefore, saves a large amount of time and expense and greatly increases the efflciency of the vehicles.

I prefer to provide a safety valve I2 for each compartment which prevents the pressure in the compartments from increasing to too great an extent, that is from becoming too high, due to the change of the dry ice into gas. If the pressure goes above a predetermined amount the safety valve acts to let some of the gas escape.

The material may be placed in the compartments through the door I3 which has the insulating material l4 connected therewith. The compartments may be provided with insulating material I5 so as to confine the cooling effect to the pipes 5 and 6.

In order to regulate the cooling effect I prefer to provide means for reducing or stopping the circulation when the temperature reaches a. predetermined low value. This may be accomplished in any suitable way, as, for example, by providing means in each pipe controlled by the temperature for reducing or shutting off the flow through the pipe when the temperature falls below a predetermined amount. In the construction shown this result is secured by providing in each pipe a valve 25 having a valve member 26 which can be moved to reduce or shut off the flow of the fluid through the pipe, or permit: its free movement therethrough.

The valve member 6 is mounted on a rocking shaft 21 which projects through the valve casing and which is provided with a packing 33. A lever 28 is connected to the shaft 21, and this lever is connected by a pivot 29 with the member 34 of a thermostat 30. The thermostat is supported by the supporting member 3|. This thermostat is here shown as a sylphon, or a corrugated casing, and contains a fluid which expands and contracts under the influence of variations in temperature.

In order that the control of the fluid through the refrigerating pipes may be effected by the temperature at a distance from the refrigerating pipes, I may locate the thermostat at any point desired, or I may secure the same effect by providing a receptacle 33a connected by a flexible pipe 32 with the thermostat 30, which receptacle may be moved around and located at any point desired in the apartment to be cooled. The receptacle 33a and the pipe 32 contain the fluid, the expansion of which controls the thermostat.

The parts are so arranged that when the temperature falls below a predetermined point the contraction of the thermostat moves the valve 26 so as to properly reduce or shut ofi the flow of the refrigerant through the pipes 5 and 6. When the temperature rises the valve is moved in the opposite direction to open up the pipes or increase the flow of the refrigerant therethrough.

I have shown a plurality of pipes 5 and 6 and a plurality of thermostats. The thermostats are all connected to the pipe 3 2 and the recepacle 33a so as to be simultaneously actuated by variations in temperature.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modified construction wherein'there is a thermostat l6 located directly in each pipe containing the refrigerant. This is accomplished by providing a valve casing H in each pipe so that the fluid circulates therethrough. Each casing has a cover i8. A valve l9 controls the pipe 6 as shown in Fig. 6. A thermostat 2! is connected with the valve is so as to operate the same.

In the construction shown the thermostat 2| is connected at 22 with the lever 23, which lever is connected to the valve l9. When the temperature falls below a predetermined amount the thermostat 2|, which contains expansibie material, acts to close the valve I9 so as to prevent the further circulation of the fluid. When the temperature rises above this predetermined amount the thermostat acts to open the valve l9 and permit the cntinued circulation. The thermostat is adjusted by the addusting screw 24. The lever 'on the shelves ll.

point and open the valve i9, closing the valve 5 when the thermostat contracts.

If it is desired to use the gas produced by the subliming of dry ice as the cooling fluid, all that is necessary is to omit the liquid in the compartments l and 2, for in that event when the dry 10 ice sublimes, the gas produced thereby, which is confined in the compartments, will pass through the pipes 5 and 6 and cool the apartment.

It will therefore be seen that the refrigerating or cooling fluid, whether it be a liquid or a gas, 15 is passed through the cooling pipes by the pressure produced by the gas which results from the subliming of the dry ice. It will be seen that the refrigerant may simply be passed into the pipes 5 and 6 and held therein for a predetermined 20 time by means of the valve 26, or it may be circulated through the entire system, depending upon the conditions presented and the results desired.

If a liquid refrigerant is used it may, if de- 25 sired, be cooled before being placed in the compartment, or by some other agency than the dry ice, so that when the dry ice is placed in a compartment, immediate refrigerant results are secured. This may be done, for example, when 30 immediate results are desired so as to avoid the time required to produce the desired low temperature by the subliming of the dry ice.

I have spoken of the invention as being applied to a vehicle, but it is of course evident that 35 it may be used for stationary refrigerating devices, in which event the movement of the refrigerant is produced by the pressure of the gas.

I have described in detail a particular construction and process embodying the invention, but it 40 is of course evident that the apparatus used for carrying out the process, and the process itself, may be greatly varied without departing from the spirit of the invention as embodied in the claims hereto appended, and I therefore do not 45 limit myself to the particular construction illustrated.

The use and operation of my invention are as follows:

When the device is in use and a liquid re- 50 frigerant is desired, the compartments l and 2 are provided with a sufficient .quantity of this liquid refrigerant. The dry ice is then placed It will be seen that as the dry ice sublimes it is converted into gas and a 55 pressure is created in the section of the compartment containing the dry ice.

If, for example, I begin at the section I of the compartment I, it will be seen that as the dry ice in this section sublimes the pressure in section 60 I of the compartment will be raised. Since the valves 4 are in such a position to be closed by this pressure when it rises above the pressure in section 8, it will be seen that the raised pressure 5 moves the refrigerant through the pipes 5 and into the section 9. When the pressure in section 9 increases over the pressure in section ID, the refrigerant is moved through the valves 4 into section I0 and then through pipe 6 into section 70 8, and when the pressure in section 8 rises above that in section I, the refrigerant will be passed through the valves 4 back into section 1.

If a liquid is used, it will be seen that the rise in level of the liquid in section 8 over that of 75 section I will produce a sufllciently unbalanced condition to cause it to pass through valves 4.

I have shown the dry ice as being used in both compartments I and 2, but it is of course evident that it may be used in only one of the compartments if desired. If it is desired to use only the cold gas produced by the subliming of the dry ice, it will only be necessary to omit the liquid refrigerant, whereupon the pressure produced by the subliming of the dry ice will cause the gas to pass into the pipes 5 and 6 and to act therein as a cooling agent. The temperature is regulated by means of the valves 26 and I9 and the thermostatic devices. When the temperature falls to a predetermined amount the valves may be moved, for example, to prevent any further movement of the refrigerant in the pipes. By means of this device the proper temperature can be easily and efficiently secured. a

If the device is used in cars, for example, enough dry ice can be placed in the cars to provide the proper low temperature for the entire trip, thereby saving the time and expense required in resupplying ice when the ordinary ice is used.

The valves i2 are arranged so as to relieve the pressure in the compartments, and they may be so constructed as to let a large amount of the gas escape when they operate, so as to bring the conditions back to normal. They may also be arranged so as to operate at a comparatively small increasing pressure, thereby assisting in insuring the movement of the refrigerant, for when a portion of the gas, for example in section I escapes, the pressure in section 8 will open the valves 4 and cause a movement of the refrigerant through them, and the same result would be produced in compartment 2.

It will be seen that when a liquid refrigerant is used, I am enabled to maintain the proper low temperature of the liquid refrigerant in the compartments and the pipes without increasing the amount of liquid therein, as would be the case when ice is placed in the compartments.

I may also, for example, have the relief valve H in only one of'the sections of one compartment, in which event it may be in either section desired, Take for example the case where only one relief valve I2 is used, as above set out, and the dry ice is placed in the one section containing the relief valve. and supposing that it is in section I0, the operation will be as follows: When the dry ice sublimes after it has first been placed in the device, the pressure in It) will increase and this will cause the liquid to be forced through pipe 6 into section 8 and thence into section I and thence through pipes 5 into section 9. When the pressure in ID reaches. a predetermined amount, the valve II, which is arranged to let a comparatively large portion of the gas quickly escape, the pressure in i is suddenly reduced and becomes lower than the pressure in section 9 and the liquid fiows from 9 into l0. There is also a flow from 1 through pipes into 9, the sudden reduction of pressure in ID causing the valves 4 to close so that the circulation will have to be from 9 into Iii and from 1 into 9. After the pressure in ID has been reduced, and due to the large amount of gas escaping, it will be reduced a considerable amount, the valve i2 closes and the action hereinbefore described is again repeated. The device will operate in the same manner when the dry ice is placed in two sections, as shown in Fig. 1. When a relief valve of this type operate: to let out a large amount of gas, the rapid flow of the gas holds it open so that when it does close the pressure is considerably lower than that which is necessary to start the opening of the valve.

- The shelf, or support for the dry ice, as before stated, is'preferably arranged to reduce or 5 limit the direct cooling effect of the dry ice on the liquid refrigerant when such liquid refrigerant is used, this being produced by the shelf itself and by the space between the shelf and the liquid. 10

I claim:

1. A process of cooling apartments which consists in providing a confined circulatory refrigerant, and moving the refrigerant through its cycle of circulation by gas pressure produced by subliming the refrigerant at separated points to provide separate sources of supply. I

2. A process of cooling apartments which consists in providing a confined circulatory refrigerant, excluding the external air and moving the refrigerant through its cycle of circulation bygas pressure produced by subliming the refrigerant at separated points to provide separate sources of supply, and excluding the gas produced by the subliming of the refrigerant from the apartment.

3. A process of cooling apartments which consists in circulating a confined refrigerant through a portion of the apartment, the circulation being produced jointly by rocking the apartment and by gas pressure produced by means separate from the rocking of the apartment.

4. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a compartment, a partition dividing such compartment into sections, valves in said partition adapted to be closed by the pressure in one section of said 3 compartments, pipes connected with one section which extends out into the compartment to be cooled and then back and connected with the other section, a liquid refrigerant in said sections and connection, and means in one of said sec- 40 tions for generating a gas, the pressure of which circulates said liquid refrigerant.

5. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a'compartment, a partition dividing such compartment into sections, valves in said partition adapted to be closed by the pressure in one section of said compartments, pipes connected with one section which extends out into the compartment to be cooled and then back and connected with the other section, a liquid refrigerant in said sections and connection, a support in one of said sections above the liquid refrigerant forreceiving solidified carbon dioxide subliming thereof producing a gas, the pressure of which acts to circulate the liquid refrigerant. I

6. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a compartment, a partition dividing such compartment into sections, valves in said partition adapted to be closed by the pressure in one section of said compartments, pipes connected with one section 0 which extends out into the compartment to be cooled and then back and connected with the other section, a liquid refrigerant in said sections and connection, a support in one of said sections above the liquid refrigerant for receiving solidi- 5 fied carbon dioxide subliming thereof producing a gas, the pressure of which acts to circulate theliquid refrigerant, and means for insulating the section of the receptacle containing said support.

7. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a compartment, a partition dividing such compartment into sections, valves in said partition adapted to be closed by the pressure in one section of said compartments, pipes connected with one section which extends out into the compartment to be Eff- 133d and then back and connected with the other section, a liquid refrigerant in said sections and connection, a support in one of said sections above the liquid refrigerant for receiving solidifled carbon dioxide subliming thereof producing a gas, the pressure of which acts to circulate the liquid refrigerant, heat insulating means for limiting the direct action of the solidified carbon dioxide upon the liquid refrigerant.

8. A refrigerating apparatus comprising two compartments at separated points in theapartment to be cooled, a partition extending across each compartment dividing each compartment into two sections, each partition provided with an opening through which thesections are confrlgerant by varying the pressure in the sections of the compartments, and means for maintaining a low temperature of the liquid refrigerant without increasing the amount of liquid in said compartments and pipes.

9. A refrigerating apparatus comprising a compartment, a partition dividing such compartment into sections, valves in said partition adapted to be closed by the pressure in one of said compartments, pipes connected with one section which extends out into the compartment to be cooled and then back and connected with the other section. a liquid refrigerant in said sections and connection, means in one of said sections for generating a gas, the pressure of which circulates said is 

